Motion picture camera



Feb. 28, 1939. P. HElNlscH ET A1. MOTIONl PICTURE CAMERA Filed May 29, 1936 Paul Hein/'sch Car/ Scenc/fe Patented Feb. 28, -1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE' 2,149,218 Mo'rloN PICTURE cnr/maa Paul Heinisch,

Berlin-Zehlendorf,

and Kari Schcncke, Berlin-Tempelhof, Germany @ur invention relates to improvements in inotion picture cameras oi' the type, wherein the sensitized nlm is enclosed in a nlm-box or magazine, the latter being removably mounted; in the camera and adapted to be exchanged at a moments notice in daylight for another one containing a fresh film-and wherein the perforated nlm on being intermittently advanced across the exposure aperture o the camera, passes a guide plate surrounding said exposure aperture and a rocking lrn gate cooperatively associated with said guide plate and. adapted to ltemately frictionally arrest and set free. said its a matter of fact known to illrn reporters and other practitioners using motion picture cameras of the type set forth, the camera man-photographing rapidly moving actions and endeavourlng tospeed up the re-charging operation in order not to loose valuable exposure time-is often hndalped and irritated because of the :leiicate nature oi the iilm, of whichi-on 1re-charging the camera-the section to be exposed rst must loe carefully threaded through a narrow cap 'formed by said illm gate and the opposed guide plate,

which surrounds the exposure aperture of the camera,

The principal object of our invention is to overcome the saidldrawback by providing a structurally improved lm gate, which presents in its open or inoperative position-viz. ready to receive the iresh'iilm to be inserteda gap of ample width, much wider than with motion picture cameras of known design. 1 In connection therewith the invention aims vat so cooperatively associating the nlm gate structure and the camera door, through which the nlm boxes are withdrawn and inserted, that on opening said door the lm gate is automatically 40 thrown into its inoperative, widely open position allowing of readily replacing the exposed lrn by.

-a. fresh one.

Another salient feature of the invention consists in providing at the lm gate proper in addi- 45 tion to friction pads a. checking device for keeping firmly and truly arrested the .exposed section of the lm during the exposure so as to positively prevent any staggering or flickering of the latter, which would impair the sharp deiinition of 50 the pictures taken.

Other objects aimed and advantages obtained will become evident hereinafter.

The nature and scope of the invention are briefly outlined in the appended claims and will i be more fully understood from. the following (Si. SS-lii speciiication taten together with the accompanying drawing, in which an embodiment of the inventien is shown hy way of an example:

Fig. i being a section vertically taken through the structurally improved camera on a plane ins dicated by line l--l in Fig. 3, and being seen in the direction of .the arrows,

Fig. 2 is a section horizontally taken through Vthe camera on line lilll in Fig. E,

Fig. 3 is a another section vertically taken on line Ill-m in mg. 2, and showing the nlm gate in its operative position, arresting the sensitized nlm,

" li'ig. 4 is a replica of Fig. 3, wherein the hlm gate is shown in its rearinost idle position, ready ier the reception ci a fresh nim.

With the objects in view outlined above the motion picture camera structurally improved ac-j cording to this invention and diagrammatlcally shown by way oi' an example in the drawing compmses:

(il A camera casing li having a door 6, which is hinged to the casing at l, an exposure lens 8 and an exposure aperture, which is surrounded by a guide plate 9;

(2) A sensitized perforated dim l0 enclosed in a box or magazine it, wherein the hlm is wound up and rewound; the section of the nlm to be exposed leaves the magazine and re-enters same through narrow slots indicated at i4i5, which are conveniently lined with velvet strips for excluding the light, while' the magazine is outside the camerag-the magazine i2 is loaded in the dark room as shown in Fig. 3, and when the cover i3 is applied, it is then ready to be placed into the camera in daylight;

(3) A feeding mechanism for intermittently advancing the illm, which comprises a reciproeating claw 20, which may be conveniently actuated by a rotary cam 2i and spring 22, and en- 'gages the perforations ii of the film as seen in lilig. 4;

(4) A rocking film gate 30 fitted with pressure pads 3| resliently mounted thereon for frictionally engaging and disengaging the exposed section of the lm; the rocking motion is preferably lil l applied to the lm gate 30 by means of a rotary excentrie 32 cooperatively associated with a. pin 33, which is provided at the lower end of the lm gate 30.

According to this invention-and in contredistinction to motion picture cameras of known design-the said lilm gate 30 is pivotally. at- A tached at 43 to a displacing mechanism under the operators control, adapted to reciprocate the film gate 3@ namely moving it away from the guide plate e, so `as to widen the passage therebetween for the iilmv i@;the wider passage seen in Fig. 4 will eliminate any cumbersome and time consuming threading operations with the lm and enables the cameraman to more rapidly exchange the magazine l2 containing the exposed lm for another magazine containing a fresh lm.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawing by way of an example the said displacing mechanism comprises:

A- primary guide bed Gli, iixed in theV camera casing 5, and a primary guide block G2, to which the lm gate 36 is pivoted at 33. and which is slidably associated with said primary guide bed, and f Means for shifting said primary guide block l2 to and fro, as indicated by arrows z'-z" in Figs. 3 and i, which comprise:

A secondary guide bed, 5t arranged at right angles to the primary one, a secondary guide block 52 slidably associated with said secondary guide bed 50, a pin and slot gear designated 53 interengaging said primary and secondary guide blocks 32, 52, a spring 55 attached to said primary guide block l2 for positively shifting the latter jointly with the secondary guide block 52 and the film gate 3@ into their idle position seen in Figs. 2 and 4;-and

Actuating means for pushing home the guid blocks d2, 52 against the action of spring 55 and thus restoring the lm gate into its operative position shown in Fig. 3-said actuating means comprise:

`The camera door 6, referred to above, which is hinged to the camera casing 5 and is cooperatively associated with said secondary guide block 52 so as to engage the latter before the door is fully closed,-as seen in Fig. 2, which is otherwise self-explanatory. Various changes and modii'lcations may be conveniently made in the structural details of motion picture cameras of the improved design described, and in the assemblage and cooperation of their component parts,- without substantially departing from the spirit and the salient ideas of this invention.

Checking means may be provided toV advantage at the lm gate 3@ proper for positively and truly arresting lthe exposed section of the sensitized lm l@ so as to avoid any staggering of flickering motions of the film, which might occur as the result of vibrations/and the like in the camera,

and might impair the correct definition of the pictures taken; said checking means comprise:

A hole e provided in guide plate 9 and a pin 3d attached to the illm gate 3d so as-to register with said hole 9 and the respective holes Il in the perforated film lll, as seen in Figs. 3 4, which are self-explanatory as to the working of said checking means.

We claim: y

l. In a camera for taking motion pictures on a sensitized film, the combination with a guide plate surrounding the eXQsure aperture of the camera, of a lm gate hinged oppositesaid guide plate for co-operation therewith, means .for rocking said lm gate through a relatively small angle in rhythm with means intermittently advancing the lm, and a displacing mechanism secured to. the hinge of said lm gate for spacing the latter from said guide plate and restoring it into` its operative position.

2. In a camera for taking motion pictures on a sensitized lm, the combination with a guide meagre plate surrounding the exposure aperture oi the camera, of a lm gate hinged opposite said guide plate for cooperation therewith, means for rocking said nlm gate through a relatively small angle A in rhythm with means intermittently advancing the film, a displacing mechanism secured tc the 3. In a camera for taking motion pictures on a sensitized lm, the combination with a guide plate surrounding the exposure aperture oi' the camera, of a lm gate hinged opposite said guide plate for co-operation therewith, means for rocking said iilm gate through a relatively small angle in rhythm with means intermittingly advancing the film, and a displacing mechanism secured to the hinge of said lm gate for spacing the latter from said guide plate and restoring it into its operative position, said displacing mechanism being loaded by a spring and co-operating with the door of the camera.

d. In a camera for taking motion pictures on a sensitized lm, the combination with a guide plate surrounding the exposure aperture of the camera, of a film gate hinged opposite said guide plate for cooperation therewith, means for rocking said nlm gate through a relatively small angle, and a displacing mechanism secured to the hinge of said lm gate for spacing the latter from said guide plate and restoring it into its operative position,-said displacing mechanism comprising a primary guide bed fixed in the camera casing, a block to which the gate is pivoted and which is slidably mounted in said operative position, said displacing mechanism comprising a primary guide bed xed in the camera casing, a block to which the lm gate is pivoted and which is slidably mounted in said guide bed, and means'for shifting said block to and frof-sad shifting means comprising a secondary guide bed arranged at right angles to the primary one, a secondary guide blockl slidably associated with said secondary guide bed, a,

pin and inclined slot gear interengaging said primary and secondary guide blocks, a spring attached to said primary guide block, and actuating means under the operators control for pushing home said guide blocks against the action of said spring.

6. In a camera for taking motion pictures on a sensitized lm, the combination with a guide plate surrounding the exposure aperture of the i camera, of a nlm gate hinged opposite said guide plate for cooperation therewith, means for rocking said lm- ,gate through a. relatively small angle, and a displacing mechanism secured to the hinge of said lm gate for spacing the latter from said guide plate and restoring it into its opera.-

tive position, said displacing mechanism comprising a primary guide bed flxed in the camera. casing, a block to which the lm gate is pivoted and which is slidabiy mounted in said guide bed, and means for shifting said block to and fro, said shifting means comprising a secondary guide bed arranged at right angles to the primary one, a secondary guide*block slidably associated with said secondary guide bed, a pin and inclined slot 10 gear interengaging said primary and secondary actuating means comprising a. door, for coopera.-A tion with secondary guide block, so as to engage the latter, before the door is fully closed.

PAUL HEINIscH. KARL SCHENCKE. 

